Visions of Death
by Ellixer
Summary: Xena has a Vision of Gabrielle's death and tries desperately to change it.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Visions of Death

Rating: M

Author: Ellixer

Pairing: X/G

Disclaimer: Characters and show are owned by Universal and others. The story is mine. I make nothing.

Note: Xena has a Vision of Gabrielle's death and tries desperately to change it.

I'm screaming her name as if somehow that will help. I'm powerless to do anything as I watch her fight a losing battle. She blocks a downward swing, bends low sweeping his legs out from under him before popping up again. I try to scream out a warning as I see a soldier come from behind. I need to get up but I'm pinned to the ground by a spear, legs wrapped in several lengths of rope. My one free arm reaches out as I watch the sword slide into her body effortlessly causing her to still instantly. She drops to her knees, turning partly toward me so I can watch as the life drains from her eyes.

I look around, aware once again that I'm standing in the river, cold water rushing by below me. I was fishing a minute ago, just before the vision blinded me. My heart is beating fast; sweat is dripping from me despite the cold water at my feet. Is this something I should keep to myself? Despite my belief that we control our destiny these visions tend to come true. A tear slowly falls down my cheek; I move quickly to wipe it away realizing just how terrifying the vision was.

She's calling my name, walking through the woods towards me. There's a lightness about her, a smile in her voice that I desperately don't want to ruin. I'm always the one to wipe that smile from her face; it causes me pain every time too.

'Xena?' She's on the bank of the stream, I can feel her eyes on me, studying my posture. 'What's wrong?' She knows me too well, I can't hide the tension, the pain that still courses through me no matter how hard I try. 'Xena?' Her voice is filled with compassion and concern. Slowly, I turn to face her with red eyes. She comes rushing out to me, boots and all. Her hands come up to my face, thumbs rubbing at my cheeks. 'What is it?' Why is it, she is the only person that can do this to me?

'I saw something?' I'm not sure I can tell her, I'm not sure I want to. She looks at me worried and confused.

'What?' She wants only to make my pain go away, if she only knew that I want the same for her.

'I had a vision.' My tears come again, even though I don't want them to. I can't look her in the eye, I don't want to continue.

'Xena, what did you see?'

'You.' I swallow hard, trying my best to be the warrior, to have the courage I'm supposed to have. 'I saw you die.' I manage to look at her, but she still looks at me with such compassion. She's not worried about what I saw, but how it made me feel.

'That doesn't mean it will happen.' She's trying to sound convincing for me. Wrapping her arms around me pulling me in close, trying to convey the same sense of safety she usually feels.

'We're not going.' I say suddenly. 'I'm taking you home.' I pull away from her walking towards the bank of the river. Sitting on a log I pull my boots on.

'Xena?' Gabrielle is still rooted to her spot in the middle of the river, she looks confused and befuddled. Her hands wave through the air as she tries to find the words to express herself.

'No. We're not arguing about this Gabrielle.' I grab my sword and chakram, starting back towards camp. For all I know going home can be what starts this vision into motion, but I'd rather take the chance with safety then keep on our path towards a fight. I don't care who we're meant to be saving, it's not worth her life.

She's crashing through the brush behind me, yelling, hands grabbing out for me; but she can only stop me if I want her to, and I don't. I easily shrug off her attempts to hold me back, soon leaving her standing there in frustration, watching as I walk away. We're heading to Potidea right now; if we ride hard it should take no more than a day.

Finally, after once again getting her brain moving, Gabrielle walks into camp, a grumpy demeanor emanating from her but she doesn't argue again, well for the time being anyway. I swing up onto Argo and extend my arm down to her. She looks surprised for a moment but grasps it, swinging herself up behind me.

'Hiya!' I urge Argo into a sprint. Gabrielle's arms reluctantly wrap around my waist. It's hours before she finally speaks again.

'Where are we going?'

'Potidea.' I feel her stiffen even more than she already is. I know she loves her family very much, but she has been avoiding them. Her personality has become stronger and she hasn't wanted to go home only to argue with her mother and father. My mother has accepted her only because she has had to learn to accept me. Gabrielle prefers to go to Amphipolis where there is no resistance and no fighting.

She doesn't say another word the rest of the trip. Her arms barely touch me; in fact she does her best to touch me as little as possible, just enough to keep her attached to the horse. The words are only building up inside her. At some point she will explode in a torrent where she won't even stop to breath and her face will screw up and get all red. It's cute and at the same time exasperating.

I stop Argo at the fence. I don't like being here; they treat me worse than just an outsider, I'm an enemy. I've never been welcomed here and I never will be. Gabrielle hops off the horse, her hand lingers on my leg as she looks through the darkness at the house.

'Why here?' She asks.

'It's your home.'

'So is Amphipolis.' I look down at her placid expression.

'You haven't seen your family in a long time.' I try and give a small smile.

'You're my family, you know that.' She doesn't even look at me. 'You know how they feel about you.'

'I know.' I look up, the night is clear and not too cold. At least I don't have to stay in that barn. 'Just one night.' I look down at her again. 'Please, for me.' She finally looks at me, jaw clenched but eyes soft and forgiving. Giving my leg a squeeze she nods.

'Ok, but you're coming with me. 'She reaches her hand out as I slide off the horse. My feet plant firmly on the ground and I pull her body against mine, staring down into emerald eyes.

'I know you're dying to start yelling at me.' My eyebrow rises as I grin.

'Yeah, later.' She rises up on her toes, lips brushing briefly against mine. Her fingers link with mine as she pulls me towards the house. I never let her do this, but at this moment I know it's bringing her courage for the task at hand. I'll let it slide just this once, besides no one is looking. Pulling Argo behind me, we approach the house in no particular hurry. Smoke bellows from the chimney, the smell of roasting meat wafts through the night air. Gabrielle drops my hand as the door looms closer. Her muscles begin to tense, the nervousness begins to show on her face. I stand at her back and wait. I will not be welcome, but her parents will have nothing but love for their daughter.

Warm light spills out into the darkness as the door opens. Lila stands there, a wide smile spreads as she nearly jumps into Gabrielle's arms. 'Hi Xena.' She says as an afterthought, pulling Gabrielle through the door and closing it behind her.

'HI. How are you? I'm great!' I mock converse as I walk Argo to the barn. After being pushed all day, she's relieved to have the saddle and bags taken off and to get brushed down. She yawns in my face as I give her water and food, nudging me away once I finish because she wants to sleep.

I make my little camp on the other side of the fence where the grass can conceal me even though I can feel the eyes of Gabrielle's father on me. I lay down on my bedroll, not bothering with a fire or food. Stars litter the sky with wild abandon and I easily get lost in them.

'Lila is being courted by a farmer's son the next village over.' Gabrielle says as she sits down as close to me as possible. 'They met at the last solstice. Father and mother seem to like him.' She holds out a bowl till I sit up and cup it in my hands. I breath in the wafting steam.

'Boar stew.' I dig in immediately, the smell more than enticing. 'You know you could have come in.' She looks at me sideways.

'I think your sister made it clear that I shouldn't.' She doesn't say anything aside from biting the inside of her cheek. 'And how is the family?'

'Good. Father didn't like my hair.'

'I think you've gotten more marriage proposals with it short.' I snort at her. She chuckles.

'Don't tell my father that, it would only encourage him.' She begins to rub her hands up and down her arms in an attempt to warm herself.

'Why don't you go back inside.' I suggest quietly.

'I'm staying here.' My bowl drops with a clatter.

'Gabrielle!'

'Xena, don't treat me like a child.' Her tone is exhausted and tired, as if she's already had this fight. So I just stare at her for a second before grabbing a fur and wrapping it around her shoulders. Grabbing my bowl I continue eating. 'Thanks.' She mumbles.

'I take it your parents aren't happy I'm here.'

'That would be an understatement.'

'Your father looking to hire an assassin?' She chuckles at me.

'I don't think he has enough money.'

'Are you sure you shouldn't sleep inside?' Her head turns as she gives me a soft smile, her head tilted slightly.

'Would you?'

'There is a warm bed.' I pretend to contemplate. She pushes her shoulder into me and I suppress a laugh. Putting the bowl down to the side I wrap my arms around her, pulling her in close for warmth. 'I don't this will ingratiate me with your parents any more than I already am.' She humph's.

'Xena, what exactly did you see?' My chin drops to rest on top of her blond hair.

'Death. Isn't that enough?'

'More than enough.' She sighs, her body easing further into me. 'But what if we can't change it, like before?' What can I say, I've been thinking this same exact thing all day. I'm just going to make sure I die to.


	2. Chapter 2

Visions 2

I can feel his presence but I could care less. I keep my eyes closed, my arms wrap tighter around Gabrielle who mumbles in her sleep. If she wasn't so close to me he'd probably throw cold water on me, or slop. He could just claim he didn't see me. I bet he has a bucket in his hand right now. He starts clearing his throat loudly. Apparently he's forgotten how hard it is to wake his daughter. Soon it sounds as if he's hawking up some sort of large animal. I have to pinch her arm to finally get her to come to life. I'm not sure how much longer I could have lasted without breaking out into a fit of laughter. She sits up, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

'Your mother made breakfast.' He says gruffly before walking away. I can't hold the laughter in but I do manage to keep it quiet.

'What are you laughing about?'

'He's been standing there for fifteen minutes trying to wake you up.' She makes a move to lie back down but I stop her. She pouts at me. 'Hey I'm not listening to him cough up a hairy animal again.' She starts to mumble under her breath, but I don't think she's actually saying anything.

'Aren't you coming?' She asks as innocently as she can. I just give her a look. Really? She shrugs her shoulders, walking off towards the house. It will be up to her if we stay any longer so I don't pack our things. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, but she's been though more than her parents could ever know and sometimes she can't deal with their ignorance.

Breakfast must go well because she doesn't return with food till well after I've washed up. She's not overly happy or anything but she seems serene at least. Hopping up on the top rail of the fence she looks out at the land.

'So I take it you're leaving it up to me?' She swings her legs, banging her heels against a lower fence rail. I shrug my shoulders at her, soaking a hunk of bread in gravy. Her eyes narrow at me. 'You're the one with the vision remember.'

'You should see your family.' I try to be noncommittal and neutral; I focus on my food instead.

'I hate when you do that.'

'Do what?!' I look up at her, a piece of bread falls from my mouth. She reaches out to wipe stray gravy off my chin.

'First you give me no choice and no input. Then it's all my decision and you have nothing to say. And this is within the space of two days.' There's a playful grin on her face so I know she's not really mad.

'I overcompensate for the first one.' I grin back as she shakes her head.

'Let's just go somewhere else.' She suggests. I sit my bowl down on the ground and move between her legs, leaning back against both her and the fence. The rising sun is making the fields look as if they are on fire with color.

'Where would we go?'

'Does it matter?'

'If you want to live, probably.' My arms rest on top of her thighs as she plays with my hair, making a thin braid.

'Have you seen it again?' She asks quietly.

'No.'

'And you couldn't tell where we were or who it was?' I close my eyes studying the vision more thoroughly in my mind. I feel like there's something I'm missing. I focus on the men, their weapons and armor.

'They look Thracian but, different.' As I open my eyes, her arms slowly encircle my neck, her chin resting near my cheek.

'We couldn't stop the Romans.' She sounds as if she's resigned to her fate. We couldn't, but I believe we still twisted fate in our favor despite all the odds stacked against us. That only just happened; those wounds are still fresh and she thinks I can just let it happen again. I do my best to still the anger that is building. There's no reason to get angry with her over this.

'If you could get along with boats I'd say we should take to the sea.' I try to give a reassuring smile; I know she could feel the tension rise in me. 'The Amazons?' I suggest.

'I don't want more work right now.' I admit, I even want a break from death and dying. 'Let's just do what we do, without fear.' Fear is something I only truly gained when I came upon her. Now I have experienced it more times than I care to count. She's right, I know she is.

'Let's stay here a few more days.' I suggest.

'With you sleeping out in the pasture?'

'You know I like sleeping under the stars.' Her lips delicately kiss my face before she presses her cheek against mine.

'I do miss them.' She finally confesses, not that I didn't already know. I pat her arm, standing and moving out from between her legs.

'Go.' I say as I turn to look at her. She smiles, narrowing her eyes at me.

'Only if you come with me.' I arch my eyebrow up at her. Sometimes she's more stubborn than I give her credit for.

'Let me take care of Argo.' I sigh as if it's a big deal to give in. She jumps off the fence, giving me a peck on the cheek before skipping off to the house. I'm not sure the last time I saw her skip like that.

I take care of Argo, work out some stress then I make an attempt to look presentable. I take my breastplate off and make sure I don't smell. Of course now I'm standing outside the door staring at it. Her father is the real problem, and I'm afraid one day I might run him through with my sword.

I knock. I wait. I knock.

Gabrielle opens the door with an amused look. 'Why are you knocking?'

'I was being polite.' I shift back and forth on my feet.

'Everyone already knows you're here.' Her nose wrinkles as she laughs. 'Come on, you're not getting out of this.' Grabbing my wrist she pulls me in through the door. Considering the table is only a few feet from the door, I'm sure everyone can hear our conversation. Her father has his back to me, stiff and unyielding in his hatred of me. Her mother gives me a polite smile and Lila seems mostly disinterested. I give them all a little nod of my head before I sit.

Potatoes, meat, bread, and some sort of stew it looks like. I don't think they eat like this for lunch on a regular basis but Gabrielle doesn't come home often. She grabs my bowl, slopping huge spoonful of food into it for me. I try to get her to calm down but she's intent on making sure I don't starve.

'So….Xena, how are you doing?' It sounds as if the words are being forced out of her mother's mouth against her will.

'I'm good.' No need to torture the woman. I try to focus on the bowl in front of me; Gabrielle is nudging me with her knee. I look at her raising my eyebrows in question. 'We've really traveled a lot lately.'

'Oh did I tell you about India?' Gabrielle gasps. Lila rolls her eyes.

'Yes, a thousand times already.'


	3. Chapter 3

Visions 3

_The air feels oppressive. My own blood is becoming thick and sticky against my skin, obscuring my eyes. But I know she's there, bleeding out somewhere out of my reach. There's nothing but silence, and a dry hot wind blowing against me._

'Xena?' I feel fingers wisp against my cheek, drawing my attention to green eyes that sparkle in the firelight. 'Did you see it again?' It's a soft whisper as her fingers gently move my hair behind my ear. I swallow and it feels as if a stone is going down my throat. There's no need to answer, she can see it written on my face.

There was a brief moment when I thought everything might be ok. But now, back on the road, it haunts me with every step we take.

'There was something different.' I turn away from her, not wanting her to see the tears that are threatening to spill. Clearing my throat I take a deep breath and push down the emotions. I used to be able to control them so easily, she has weakened me. God's has she weakened me, and I love her for it.

'What?'

'I don't know, but it wasn't the same.' I can't analyze it right now. 'So, we should probably get an early start in the morning.' Maybe I can just change the topic.

'When don't we have an early start?' She flashes a grin at me but it fades quickly. 'Xena?' I grab my sword and sharpening stone and soon long hard strokes of rock against steal becomes my main focus. She doesn't press anymore, merely leaning into me in quiet contemplation.

'You know I'd rather hide you somewhere.' She shifts slightly against me, but we both keep our eyes focused on different things.

'Xena, if it's changing then you can't know for sure it will happen.'

'It still shows death.' Maybe it shows my death, that is the only consolation I can seem to get from it. I'm suddenly reminded of all those other times we've died and the pain that caused. I put my things down, turning towards Gabrielle with a new sense of purpose. She looks up at me, confused and concerned with my sudden change in demeanor.

'Gabrielle I..' I'm not sure how to say the words. I take her hands in mine, examining the smaller fingers. I don't care what she says; I will feel guilty every time her life is in danger. 'If I was a better person I would have made you leave a long time ago.'

'Xena, I would never have left.' Her hands squeeze mine. I look up at her.

'After the first time…. I should have made you leave.'

'Well there's no way you could get me to leave now.' She tries to smile, but it doesn't help. I pull my hands from hers.

'That's the problem.' Anger and hurt register on her face for a split second.

'There's nothing that you can say or do.' Her voice remains soft and calm.

'I know.' She always forgives me before I even ask for it. What could I do to get a person like that to hate?

'I've lost you too, doesn't that count?' I can't look her in the eye anymore. Truthfully, as long as she's alive that is all that matters to me. Though I do know the pain I've caused and can cause by leaving. 'If you really loved me,' Her fingers reach up to my cheek once more. 'Then you would know I can't live without you as much as you can't live without me. My life is no more precious than yours.' But it is to me, it is to me.

'I know you wish you didn't love me.' She whispers, a slight hint of pain in her voice. Sometimes, oh so briefly sometimes.

'Only because that would mean that you'd be safe.' I admit. She scoffs at me, fingers dropping from my face.

'In this world, I'd never be safe.'

'But I do love you, more than anything I have ever loved.' I finally manage to look at her again. I think it's a small consolation for her, but she accepts it all the same. She gives me a sad smile, shaking her head a little.

'And why can't that be enough?'

'It's so much more than enough.' If she only knew.

'Can we stop having this conversation then?' She asks sweetly.

'Yeah.' I smile back. I may stop talking about it, but I won't stop thinking about it.

'Promise?'

'Promise.' She leans in kissing my cheek.

'Thank you.' Her lips wander towards mine, softly kissing as she goes. 'And thank you.' Her lips touch mine briefly. 'For dealing with my family.' Her tongue traces across my lips, tickling them.

'They are kinda scary.' I take her bottom lip, sucking it gently into my mouth. She groans a little.

'They're the only people, not afraid of you.' I slide my hand across her bare stomach, causing her breath to hitch.

'Stop talking.' I grab her by the waist, lifting her up onto my lap. Her legs wrap around me as her arms circle my neck. Her body shivers as my hands slide up her back and under her top. She lifts her arms, allowing me to pull the material over her head. Her hands are immediately on the back of my leather bodice, working furiously to get it off. Taking a second, I reach back loosening my clasps and pulling the leather from my body.

As our lips crush together once more, her breasts rub against mine creating an exotic friction. We cling to each other as our tongues tangle. Feeling her warm body against my skin is intoxicating, I nearly can't take it. When she gasps I turn my attention to her neck, my teeth grazing the skin as she throws her head back. I suck and nip the salty skin down to her shoulder. She moans and groans, fingers digging into my back, scratching it. My mouth continues to move its way down; her fingers find their way into my hair; tangling and pulling at my head.

My hands drift up, her breasts fitting perfectly in my hands as I squeeze them roughly. She hisses, pushing into my touch wanting more. I can barely hear her as she begins to beg in my ear in stuttering whispers. I move my hands to her thighs, sliding them up her skirt across the soft delicate skin. Leaning forward I take a nipple in between my teeth, I know just how hard to bite down to cause her to squirm without causing pain.

My hand moves between her legs, teasing across her curls as my other hand cups her ass. Her hips buck against me as she pleads for me to stop teasing her. I shove my fingers in none too gently, making her cry out. She begins to ride my hand, her hips moving up and down with increasing speed. Her breasts bounce in front of my face in a hypnotic fashion and I can't contain the groans this elicits.

She's gasping and groaning with her head thrown back and her chest pushed out. Her hands are gripping my shoulders hard as her hips ride harder and faster against my curled fingers. I urge her to come, to release everything; so she does. Her scream pierces the air as her body goes taught and still. I hold her till she collapses into me, panting and sweating and unable to speak.

For some reason, all I can think of is that vision.


End file.
